CA1208952A

CA1208952A - Multifunction sail mirror

Info

Publication number: CA1208952A
Application number: CA000426614A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Harold C. Gebhard
Original assignee: Ford Motor Co
Current assignee: Ford Motor Co
Priority date: 1982-06-01
Filing date: 1983-04-25
Publication date: 1986-08-05
Also published as: US4462303A

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A sail mirror assembly is provided which is operatively connected through flexible ducting to a source of heated air in an automobile heating and ventilating system. The mirror assembly has a generally hollow hous-ing carrying a mirror and is fixed to the side door of an automobile. A plurality of slots is formed through por-tions of the vehicle door proximate the division bar adjacent the inner surface of the vehicle side window.
Aligned apertures are formed through the mirror housing and the vehicle door. Doors associated with the apertures and division bar slots are selectively movable by motors to effect operation in four modes, namely mirror defrost-ing, side window defrosting, air extraction, and air induction.

Description

85~52 MULTIFUNCTION SAIL MIRROR
The present invention relates generally to out-side rearview mirrors for automobiles and more specific-ally to a mirror of this type which is operatively con-nected to the ieating and ventilating system of the auto-mobile to directionally control air flow.
It is well known by designers of automobiles that the formation of water condensation on outside rear-view mirrors and side windows is an undesirable phenomenon that causes inconvenience to drivers who must clear these surfaces to insure good visibility. It is also known that providing a ventilation path through the front edge of the vehicle's front doors as is conventionally accomplished with so-called vent windows is desirable in certain vehi-cles, particularly when air conditioning is not used.
~ he response of the automotive industry toprovide components which will automatically remove conden-sation from one or the other of the mentioned glass sur-faces or will provide a door ventilation path is well known. For example, U.S. Patents 3,522,584 to Talbot;
3,~59,899~to Mills; and 3,877,780 to Taylor disclose out-side rearview mirrors which accomplish clearing of the mirror by passing heated passenger compartment air through it. That passing heated air over inside glass surfaces on which condensa~ion may form is known is exemplified by U.S. Patent 2,150,110 to Strauss et al. Lacking in the prior art, however, is teaching of the economical combin-ation of any of these desirable functions in a single cornponent assembly.
Responsive to the deficîencies in the prior art the present invention provides a sail mirror assembly operatively connected to a source of heated air in an automobile heating and ventilating system and including a plurality of doors with control means for directionally controlling air flow to, from, and through the body of the mirror assembly~ The invention sail mirror assembly is operable in four modes: mirror defrosting, side window defrosting, air extraction, and air induction.
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Accordingly, the present invention provides, in an automotive vehicle body having a windowed side door for enclosing a passenger compartment including a generally triangular sail area at the leading edge of the window bounded ~n its rear edge by a substantially vertical division bar, an improved sail mirror assembly of the type having a generally hollow housing carrying a mirror and fixed to the side door in registration with the sail area and including means for passing air heated by the vehicle 10 heating system from the passenger compartment to the mirror, characterized in that A. flexible conduit means are provided having one end connected to the vehicle heating system and the other, open end positioned within the side door adjacent the sail area; B. means defining a 15 flow path through the hollow housing around the mirror are provided; C. a plurali~y of slots are formed through portions of the vehicle door proximate the division bar adjacent the inner surface of the side window; D. first and second aligned apertures are formed through the mirror 20 housing and the vehicle door, respectively; E. a first door membçr is pivotally mounted adjacent the first aper-ture and includes a portion engageable with the division bar slots and is selectively movable between a first position wh,erein the first aperture is closed and the 25 division bar slots and the conduit open end are in fluid c~mmunication and a second position wherein the first aperture is open and the division bar slots are closed;
and F. a second door member is pivotally mounted adjacen-t the second aperture and is selectively movable by first 30 control means in unison with the first door member between a first position, coinciding with the first door first portion wherein the second aperture is closed and a second position wherein the second aperture is open.
The present invention can be ur,derstood by those 35 skilled in the art by reading the accompanying description of the best mode for carrying out the invention with reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings in which:
Fig. l is a perspective view of the sail mirror assembly of the present invention installed in an auto-s~

mobile in which the mirror defrosting mode of operation isillustrated;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the sail mirror assembly of the present invention installed in an automo-bile in which the side window defrosting mode of operationis illustrated;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sail mirror assembly of the present invention installed in an auto-mobile in which the air extraction mode of operation is illustrated;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the sail mirror assembly of the present invention installed in an auto-mobile in which the air induction mode of operation is illustrated;
Fig. 5 is an exploded rear perspec-tive view of the invention sail mirror assembly with certain parts removed for clarity;
Fig. 6 is a rear perspective view of the inven-tion sail mirror assembly;
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 Qf Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the invention sail mirror assembly.
Turning now to the drawings, and in par-ticular 25 to Figures 1 to 4~ a sail mirror assembly 10 is illustra-ted as being assembled to a door 12 of an automobile vehicle body l~ adjacent the leading edge of the door near the lower front corner of the side window known as the sail area because of its sail-like shape.
Figures l to 4 illustrate four functions per-formed by the sail mirror assembly lO of the present invention. In Figure l a mirror defrosting mode of opera-tion is illustrated. Heated air from the heating system of the vehicle (not shown) is ported to the sail mirror 35 assembly lO through a known flexible conduit 16. The heated air flows in the direction of the arrows of Figure 1 to enter the body of the sail mirror assembly lO, as will be described in more detail to follow, and exits around the periphery of the mirror 18 of sail mirror - 3a -assembly 10.
In Figure 2 a side window defrosting mode of operation is illustrated. In this mode of operation heated air is again passed through the flexible duct 16 and is passed along the surface of the side window glass 20 through ports 22 formed in a portion of the vehicle door 12, such as the substantially vertical division bar 24.

~' 8~52 In Figure 3 an air extraction mode of operation is lllustrated. In this mode of operation no use i5 made of heated air, bu~ a pivotally mounted door assembly 26 is opened to pro~ide communication between the body of the sail mirror assembly lO and ~he interior of the vehicle bodyO Reduced air p~essure created adjacent the periphery of the mirror 18 during orward motion of the vehicle promotes the flow of ai~ from ~he vehicle passenger compartment to the exterior around the periphery of the mirror 18.
Figure 4 illustrates a ventilation mode of operation in which fresh air from outside the vehicle is introduced into the vehicle passenger compartment through the body of the sail mirror lO. ~n this mode of operation lS a slot~ shown in dotted line at 28, is opened to the outside by means to be later described in detail, and air i8 pa3sed in the direction of the arrows through the body of the sail mirror and through the pivotally mounted door

2~ to the interior of the vehicle passenger compartment.
Turning now to Figures 5-8 of the drawing, the adv~ntageous construction of the sail mirror of the present invention can be appreciated. As can best be seen in Figure 5, the sail mirror assembly lO includes a body portion 30 and a cover portion 32 which may be conventionally secured thereto by fasteners r suoh as screws lndicated at 34. The body 30 is illustrated as including an attaching portion 36 configured to abuttingly engage a portion oE the vehicle door 12 to which it may be secured by suitable astening means~ A generally triangularly shaped aperture 38 is formed thro~gh the attaching portion 36 to register with the door 26. ~xtendi~y generally perpendicularly outwardly from ~he attaching portion 35 is an inner wall 400 Perorations, such as the elongated ~ZV8~

slots indicated at 420 are formed through the wall 40 to permit the passage of air therethrough around the periphery of the mirror 18. A pair of spaced inwardly extending mounting bosses 44 having axially aligned apertures 45 are formed on the inner surface of inner wall 400 ~ikewise ~xtending inwardly fr~m the inner face of wall 40 are a pair of moun~ing ears having aligned apertures 47. A
similar pair of spaced apertured mounting ears 4B extend outwardly from the front face of the inner wall 40, as is 10 indicated in dotted line in Figure 5. A pair of vertically spaced generally triangular braces 50 join the attached portion 36 and inner wall 40~ Apertured ears 52, which are arranged in axial alignment, extend generally inwardly from these braces~
15 . Also show~ in the exploded view of Figure 5 is an upper door 54 which is pivotally mounted between the ears 48 and a lower door 56 which is pivotally mounted between the ears 46. The upper door 54 mounting is effected in clo9e relationship with the upper pair of slots 42 while ~0 the mounting of the lower door 56 is in close relationship with the lower pair of slots 42 formed through the inner wall 40. The upper door 54, as best may be seen in Figure 7, includes a flat closure portion 58 engageable with the outer surface 60 of the inner wall 40 to effect closure of the upper pair of slots 42. The lower door 56 similarly has a flat portion 62 engageable with the surface 60 for ~losing the lower pair of por~s 42. The lower door 56 ~urther includes an outer door portion S4 extending outwardly Erom the pivotal axis defined by mounting ears 46 ~ in he direction opposite that of the sealing portion 620 5`his outer door 64 is operative in one position shown in ., ~2~ 5~:

dotted line in ~igure 7 to close the aperture 28 formed in the cover 2 at a position spaced inwardly from the wall 4~.
A~ may best be seen in ~igures 6 and 7, the mounting and operation of the doors 26, 54 and 56, 64 can be ~ppreciatedO A known drive motor 68 is trunion mounted in the support braces 44 and includes a linearly displaceable output act~atin~3 r3d 70 which is pivotally mounted, as indicated at 72, to the outside door 64. A
pivotally mounted cross link 74 between upper door 54 and lower door 56 effects simultarleous movement of thP two doorsO As best can be appre~i2ted from the two-position drawing of Figure 7, movement tending to open the outside door 64, as shown in solid line of Figure 7, e~fects closure of the slots 42 through operation of upper and lo~er doors 54, 56. Convers~ly, movement to the dotted line position of Figure 7, wherein the aperture 28 of cover member 3~ is closed by outside door 64, effects movement of upper and lower doors 54, 56 to the position opening slots 42.
A second known drive motor 74 is trunion mounted between the ea~s 52 of braces 50 and includes a linear actuating rod 76 which is pivotally mounted to the sail d~or 26, as indicated at 78~
Turning now to Figure 8, the sail door assembly 26 is shown to be configured to include a generally "L~-shaped ~ember attached through a hinge 80 to the body 30. A cross link 82 pivotally connected to one side of the L-shaped member is similarly pivotally connected to an inner door 84 ~hrough which direct çommunication to the vehicle passenger compartment i5 effected. The inner doo~ ~4 is hinged at 86 ~nd includes a hinge body portion B8 tl rough which the :

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ducts 22 are formed adjacent the side glass 20. Closure of the inner door 88 is effected through engagement with a sealing portion 90 of the vehicle body. As can be seen from Figure 8, movement between the solid line closed position and the dotted line open position of the doors 26, 84 effects directional control of air between the position wherein communication is established between the duct 15 and the slots 22 and the position wherein communi-cation is effected between the duct 16 and the interior of lO the body 30 while slots 22 are closed.
I-t will be clear from the foregoing that the mirror defrosting mode o~ Figure l is effected when the vehicle heating system is on and the door assembly 26 is positioned as shown in dotted line in Figure 8 while the 15 external door 64 is closed and the upper and lower slots 42 are opened. Movement of the door assembly 26 from this position to the solid line position of Figure 8 effects the side window defrosting mode of Figure 2. The air extraction mode oF Figure 3 is effected by opening the 20 door assembly 26 to the passenger compartment while the external door 54 is closed; and the ventilation mode of Figure 4 is effected through opening both the door assem-bly 26 and the external door 64.
The present invention finds its best use as a 25 sail mirror assembly for automotive vehicles. While only one embodiment of the invention sail mirror assembly lO
has been described, those skilled in the ar-t will appre-ciate that others are possible without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In an automotive vehicle body having a windowed side door for enclosing a passenger compartment including a generally triangular sail area at the leading edge of the window bounded on its rear edge by a substantially vertical division bar, an improved sail mirror assembly of the type having a generally hollow housing carrying a mirror and fixed to the side door in registration with the sail area and including means for passing air heated by the vehicle heating system from the passenger compartment to the mirror, characterized in that:
A. flexible conduit means are provided having one end connected to the vehicle heating system and the other, open end positioned within the side door adjacent the sail area;
B. means defining a flow path through the hollow housing around the mirror are provided;
C. a plurality of slots are formed through portions of the vehicle door proximate the division bar adjacent the inner surface of the side window;
D. first and second aligned apertures are formed through the mirror housing and the vehicle door, respectively;
E. a first door member is pivotally mounted adjacent the first aperture and includes a portion engage-able with the division bar slots and is selectively mov-able between a first position wherein the first aperture is closed and the division bar slots and the conduit open end are in fluid communication and a second position wherein the first aperture is open and the division bar slots are closed; and F. a second door member is pivotally mounted adjacent the second aperture and is selectively movable by first control means in unison with the first door member between a first position, coinciding with the first door first portion wherein the second aperture is closed and a second position wherein said second aperture is open.

2. A sail mirror assembly according to claim further characterized in that a third aperture is formed through the mirror housing for communication with the outside, a third door member is pivotally mounted adjacent the third aperture, flap means are pivotally mounted adjacent the housing flow path defining means, and second control means are provided for selectively operating the third door member and the flap means in unison for move-ment betwen a ventilating position wherein the third door member opens the third aperture and the flap means closes the housing flow path defining means and an air induction position wherein the third door member closes the third aperture and the flap means opens the housing flow path defining means.

3. A sail mirror assembly as defined in claim 1 or 2 further characterized in that the first control means comprises a selectively operable motor drive means carried in the mirror housing and having an axially displaceable output rod member pivotally connected to the first door member, and a linking rod member pivotally connected between the first and second rod member.

4. A sail mirror assembly as defined in claim 2 further characterized in that the second control means comprises another selectively motor drive means carried in the mirror housing and having an axially displaceable output rod member pivotally connected to the third door member, and linkage means pivotally connected between the third door member and the flap means.